Confectionery-coating machine



Aug. 16,1927.

. I J. MASSARELLA CONFECTIONERY C ATING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1922 7 ,4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v,

I INII/ENTOR M MW A TTQRNE Y I Aug. 16, 1927.

1,639,263 J. MASSARELLA CONFECTIONERY COATING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1922 *4 Sheets-Sheet s 7 IN 103N101? A TTORNEY Alig. 16, 1922.

. 1,639,263 J. MASSARELLA coNFEcTIoNEhY COATING MAcHIf E Filed April}, 1922 4-Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1927. i i I UNITED STATES PATENT ()FF CE.

JOHN MASSARELLA, CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GONFECTIONERY-COATING' MACHINE.

Application filed April 3, 1922. Serial No. 549,151.

My invention relates to confectionery ma acter. there is a lower reservoir or tank 1 chinery, and the objects of my improvement between the two frame sides 2 (Fig. 1) which are to increase the durability and'reliability holds a supply of coating material. This of machines of this kind, to make them more tank 1 rests in a lower tank 3 supplied with 60 5 effective and uniform in their operation. warm water through a pipe i. and emptied especially in coating the under sides of the through an outlet 5. A shaft 6 is journaled pieces of confectionery, to permit ofaccutransversely in the reservoir 1 and carries rate regulation of the coating operation and a series of stirring blades or paddles 7. and to insure a cleanerv and neater product. also carries a sprocket wheel 8 near the right 65 Other objects are to coat confections with hand side of the machine. The'frame sides coating materials hitherto not successfully 2 extend up from the top of the reservoir, applied by machines of this character such and near their tops have a shaft 9 journaled as icings composed largely of sugar v; and across the machine, carrying a smaller to coat confections of materials of a highly sprocket, wheel 10 near the front of the 70 sensitive natureysuch as frozen materials,' machine. Just below and to the rear of with chocolate or other coatings. Other this shaft. an arm 11 is pivoted to the adjaobjects will appear in the course of the encent frame side 2 and extends up to the suing description. rear. to a suspension link 12 passed up I attain these objects by the mechanism through the top 18 of the machine. which illustrated. forexample, in the accompanytop extends from one to the other of the .ing drawings in hich COPS 0f the frame sides 2. On this arm 11 Fig. 1 is a. verticalcross-section on the another small sprocket wheel 14 is jourplane of the line 111ofFig. 2; naled; and the link12 has a nut15 above Fig. 2 is a vertical lengthwise section on the top 13. by which the arm 11 may be 80 the plane. of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking adjusted up or down, carrying the sprocket to the left; 7 7 wheel 14 therewith. The elevator sprocket Fig. 3 is a partial similar section. showchain 16 passes endlessly around the wheels ing a modification of the reapplyingdevice; 8, 10 andlt and carries buckets 17 attached Fi 4 i a tical le thwis section on thereto at intervals. to pass down. inverted,

I the plane of the line 2-2 ofrFig. 1, looking at the front, and dip into the contents of to the right; V the tank or reservoir 1. and then pass up F 5 isan enlarged partial plan view at the rear and over the rear adjustable of parts of two of the conveyor sect-ions and wheel 14. passing; from there in slightly driving; and supporting means thereof; downwardly inclined direction and empty- 90 Fi 6 i detail perspective view of one mg into a trough 18 mounted on the frame of the narrow chain links; Y side'2 below the arm 11.

Fig. 7 is a similar view ofone of the'wide This trough 18 empties into the fountain chain'link r ,7 19 which extends across the major part of Fig. 8 is a partial vertical lengthwise sec the interior of the'machine and is supported 95 40 tion, corresponding to Fig. 4. showing a by inwardly extending brackets attached to modification of'the arrangement of the contherespective frame sides 2 and to the adveyor section's; jacent ends of the fountain. 'The bottom Fig. 9 is a sectional plan View on the '20 of this fountain 19. inclines downward plane of the line 9-9 of Fig. 1; and forward and the front of the fountain 100 Fig. 10 is an enlarged partial plan view" is omitted to admit a feeding roll 21 jourcorresponding to Fig. 5. showing modified naled in the ends of the fountain and exconveyor sections; and r tending across from end to end having its Fig. 11 is an enlarged partial vertical 1 periphery closeto the front edge of the lengthwise section,corresponding to Fig. i.) bottom 20; v which bottom. thereapast but showing themodified conveyor sections additional downward inclination and SW such as shown in Fig. 10. and also illustrat-' ports an adjustable slide 22 that may be inn" the operation of these sections orthose more orless closely to the surface of of the example of F i rs. 1 to 9." inclusive, roll 21. Above this roll '21 is aflat leaf 2 intermediate parts being broken awayand extending across from end to end and pw- 110 omitted for lack of space, r V oted, by its rear corner parts, to the upper As is common in machines of tlllSiCllflP- front corner parts of the fountain ends, from end turn of 1). jThc roll ll preferably is readily accessible for cleaning the no ice; a d to per-"mt this the leaf 23 is lifted by grasping a knob lie roll 25 thereon. The

21. is journaled in end brackets, out to both sides and is journaled n frame sides 2. projecting outside at the (Fig. l) and hayi g fixed on it the pn 27. 7 Just inside, at the left, this shaft 26 also has fixed on it a small sprocket wheel 28; and the shaft 9 of the elevator has fixed on it alar ger spr cket wheel 29 above the wheel 28; a sprocket cha i 80 passing around these two whe ls. A n'iotor 31. mounted on the top 18 of toe machine has a pu ley with a belt 31' passing around the pulley 27.

At the front, the frame yoke extends across between and fixed to the frame sides 2; and at the rear, the frame yoke 33 is similarly arrange; this yoke projecting rearwardly for a considerable distance. The front yol-re 32 supports the rear end turn of the feed belt 34-, only part of which is shown, since this will be understood to be any suitable feed belt such as is well known in the art; and the extended rear end part of the rear yoke 33 similarly supports the front the delivery belt 35, only partly shown, for the same reason. By suitable mechanism, not shown, the feed belt 34 is driven through the medium of the shaft 36 extending forwardly near the left hand side of the machine; nd the delivery belt is similarly driven. through the medium of the shaft 37 extending reurwardly at that side. These shafts 3t) and 3'? are journaled in suitable bearings fixed on the adjacent frame side 2 and have on their inner ends the bevel gears 38 and 39, respectively. Shafts 40 and 41 extend across the machine, journaled in the sides 2, and have bevel gears 42 and 113, meshing with. the gears 38 and respectively. Atthe right hand side, these shafts 40 and ll carry sprocket wheels as, with a chain aronnd them; and at the left, outside, the shaft 40 projects and has fixed on it the sprocket wheel f6, above which, on a projection of the elevator shaft 9. is a larger sprocket wheel 47, with a chain 48 passing around the wheel 16, extending between the pulley 27 and frame side 2 and flanking the fountain shaft 26 (Figs. 1 and 2). The gears 38 and 39 are splined on their respective shafts and to slide into and out of mesh with the respective gears 4-0 anddl, under the action of levers 19 and 50, fulcrumed on the adjacent side 2, and connected to the gears by link rods 51 and 52 and forks 53 and 54,

to I

fore they are subjected to coating. catch these substances thus shaken off, a

respectively (Fig. 9). The front gear 42 is at the right of its meshing gear 38, and the rear gear 43 is at the left of its meshing gear 39, for proper driving of the feed and delivery belts 34 and 35, respectively.

Next tothe side 2, at the left, the front shaft 40 has fixed on it the bevel gear 55, and a Worm shaft 5% is journaled lengthwise of the machine in hearings on the frame side 2, with a bevel gear 57 splined on it to mesh with the gear or unmcsh therefr as moved by a lever 58 fulcruied; on the side 2 and connected to the gear by a link rod 59 and fork 6O On this-shaft 56 is fixed the worm 61.

Th6 conveyor comprises side frame bars 62 joined by transverse struts 63, making a framethat rests on the yokes 32 and 33 at the front and rear; these yokes being shaped to receive the frame snugly and sup'}' ort it firmly, yet to allow it to be lifted thererrom by grasping the eyes or handles 6% projecting up from the npper edges of the bars 62 near the front and at the of the inachine.

Near the front ends of the bars 6-2, a roller bar 65 extends across and isjiournaled in these bars 62; and some distancerearward another roller bar 66 is similarly journaled. The front roller bar 65 i s a trans verse series of sprocket wheels 67 igs. 2 and 4) each with an endless sprocket chain 68 passing around and meshing with it and passing around the rear roller b Iii-"- termediate roller bars 65 are joiui'nazlcd similarly to the bars and 66 to support the upper stretches of the chains 6-8. lhis construction constitutes the conveyor section, the purpose of which is to receive the confections A (Fig. 11) in their uncoated condition from the feedbelt 34, and carry them for a short distancsand, by the shaking of the chains, which is a natur .l result of the operation of sprocket chains in the construction described, to shake off undesirable substances, such as dust or particles of sugar or starch, from the confections be-- To trough 69 ismounted between the conveyor frame bars 62. of water, moistens the chains 68.

The above described first or dusting section ends a little forward from the front or discharge side of the fountain 19; and is there succeeded by the second or coating section of the Conveyor. This section is con-- st-ructed substantially the same as the above described first section; comprising-the front roller bar 71 and .rear roller bar 72; the front bar having the sprocket wheels 73,

chains 74 passing around and meshing iiith these wheels and passing around the rear A. wick 70 in a vessel ?O.

bar 72. This second. or coating section much longer, however, extending almost to ZJU bar

the coating section at the the rear yoke 33. Just to the rear of the front roller or driving bar 71, a small trough or tray 7 5 lies under the upper stretches of the chains 74, about where substance from the fountain 19 drops onto the upper surfaces of these chain stretches; and at the rear of this tray 75, which extends back only a short distance, is a shield plate 76 lying up close to the lower sides of these upper chain stretches, with its front end part 77 inclined down and spaced back from the rear end of the tray 75, and tie rear end of this plate 'ZG lying close to the r ar roller 72. Additional roller bars/78 are journaled across under the upper chain stretches to support them at front and rear of the tray 7 5; the remainder of the lengths being supported by the plate 7 1 Below this second or coating section 1. a

distributing plate or element l9, which, a

here shown, is continuous from end to end (Figs. 2 and 4) and from side to side (Fig. 1 of the series of chains making up this conveyor section. The sprocket. wheels, 73,

at the front, are of greater diameter than the rear roller bar 72, so that, the upper stretches of the chains being iorizontal, their lower stretches incline up slightly from front to rear. 7 The distributing plate 79 is adjusted to be substantially horizontal, on cross support hers 80 fixed to the conveyor fraine side bars 62, by means of adjusting screws 81 extending up through the support bars 80 into recesses near the four corners of the plate 79 11) and this plate is ad usted to such a height, in th s manner, that its front end pa 't lies up very close to L1 f" U18 chains t as they pass up around the sprocket wheels 73 ,and rearwardly into their upper stretches.- A scraper 82 1s fixed on bar journaled'in the sides 62 and held fixed by a set screw 83 (Fig. 11) so that this scraper 82 may more or less closely ap- Also,

proach the upward passing chains.

the rear end of the dust trou h 69 extends.

up between these chains Hand the chains 68 01 the first or dusting section, preventing dust from getting on-the coating chains 7st l preventing coating material from getfrom the {chains 74 chains 68.

The third, or finishing rear, prises 'the front roller bar Stand the rear roller bar 85 which is near the rear ends of tho sidebars (2; Also, there is a lower front roller ia 86, slightly below and to the rear of the bar and the intermediate roller bars 8?. All of these bars are journaled in the side bars 62 as in the other sections. In F'qs. l 9, however, the chain in this last section is different from that in the first two; being in the form of ladder chain with very long cross pieces ig, 7 Thus, as seen in'Fig. 9, where such chain is shown that shown in 6, assembled as in onto the dusting section succeeds I and com vantage under different circumstances,

the respective chains, as indica ed in Fig.

leaving the cross piecestlt) entirely free in their upward passage at the front end of the section, where they receive the confections from the coating section. These ladder chaii'is 89 pass to the rear around the rear roller bar 85 and then forwardly down along the forwardly inclined bottom of the drip trough 91 and under the lower front roller bar 86, thence up to their sprocket wheels 88 as inclined direction. The trough 91 discharges into the reservoir 1, and the chains 89 act as scrapers to cardrippino's from the. trough, The distrihuting plate 79, beforedescribed, ertends back under the stretches of the chains 89 from the-bar 86 to the sprocket wheels 88, with its rear end very close to these chains, but not over the front end 'of the drip i'l( h .91. A shield plate 92,.siinilar to the shield plate of the coating section, lies under the intermediate rollerbars 87, with its front end part 93 inclined down forwardly At the rear end of the plateQQ, a brush 8'? hears up against theilower sides of the upper stretches of chain, to remove accumulation of excess coating cong'ean- 1 g tnel eon.

In Figs. 10 and 11, the h hing section made up of chains like those of the first two sections. Also,'1n Figs. 1 to S, inclusive,

are narthe chains of the firsttwolsections row ladder chains, composed of linl 5 g'sid-e parts 94 havingey embracing, cro parts 95 succeeding links. der chains 89 are developments of t dilfering merely in that the cross parts 90 are much longer. The narrow ladder chains are-found on the market. In Figs. l0 and 11, the chains are the stud-and link kind used, for example, on bicycles; bein much heavier than the wire lad chains. chains, however, serve the seine purpoze, broadly, as the other ind in the previous examples; and they are numbered 68, 7-!

and 89, respectively, in the dusting, coating and finishing sections shown -1n-this oin ample of Figs. 10 and 11, to indicate their correspondence in this respect. Each kind of chain,'the stud-and-link, or the narrow ladder, or the-wide ladder chain, has its all laterwill be described; andxit will be understood that the wide l: for the finishing section in a conveyor havingstud-and-link chains infitsfirst two s :ec tions, according to inyii w Also, Fig. 11, although showin I i trates the operationpf the conveyor with Such or chain can be used] i chains, illus The wide lad- 1.10 and 114 carried by outward either kind of chain, for certain purposes, as will be described.

In Fig. 8-, the construction of the conveyor is substantially as just described, and may include either kind of chain as just described. rlere, however, the first or dusting section,the second or coating section, and the third or finishing section, are placed on successively lower levels, so that confections going from one to the other must til 0 and then right themselves; at the p X and Y, for the purpose of better deposit on the bottoming material, as will later be described. It will be understood that the conveyor can be made with the bearings adjustable up and down to effect this arrange ment; or a conveyor can. be made perinanently different in-this respect from those of the other examples, according to my invention. Such bearing adjustments, being simple and readily provided by a mechanic, need not be illustrated or more particularly described herein.

For driving the coiivcyin' sect of any of these examples, yet allowing the conveyor to be removed readily .n i machine, a shaft 96 is journaled across in the side bars 62 of the conveyor frame, about midway of the length of the middle or coating section, extending betwn upper and lower stretches of the chains thereof, and extending outside the conveyor frame at the left, where it has fixed on it a worn'i wheel 97 to mesh with the worm 61, before described, when the conveyor is laid down in position for operation. At left and right, outside the bars 62, this shaft carries sprocket wheels 98 and 99; and the front roller bar 8&- of the third or finishing section projects out at both sides and carries'sproeket wheels 100 and 101, with sprocket chains 102 and 103 passing around them and around the wheels 98 and 99, respectively Another shaft 1 extends across just forwarii the shaft 96 that has the worm wh el; I, out at the right, carries a spur near 105 meshing with an idler 106 on a a shaft 10? between para lel t shafts 104- and 96'; this idler g with spur gear 108 fixed of thesethree shafts out past hand sprocket wheel 99 thereof. A

' ht, outside the bars 62, the ctl 4i s the sprocket wheels 109 an; r-"spectively, with chains 111. and 12 a rem and around respective sprocket at left and right, of the front ro of the middle or coating section. f ame bars 62-,at left and right, 1'; bar 71 carries the sprocket whc l' 116 with chains 117 and 118 pa t roller 3.20 at the respectiv sides, onthe fr bar of the first o'r-dusting section, just inside of the side bars62. The arrangement of all of these ClllVlllgCl'lllllS is best seen in 192 9 i i, A u

h In Figs. 10 and 11, the adjacent roller bars of meeting sections are journaled in a common bearing block 121 adapted to beclamped, by bolts 122, at different positions along the modified frame bars 62. This nits st etching of the chains; th aggree amount taken up being provided for by other of the conveyor, as the bearing of roller bar 65 at the front, or the bearof the roller bar 85 at the rear. adjust- This is fully set 'orth and is claimed in my Patent No. 1,417,086, issued May 23, 1922; as is also the construction of the conveyor generally, including the distributing means before described, in conjunction with other parts of the the ing able along the conveyor.

the machine, which, in various respects, I

have improved as set forth herein.

This distributing means is modified in l ig. 3, as also is disclosed and claimed in said application; having, instead of the plate T9, an endless web 79, which will be understood to be as wide as the conveyor, running around a driving roller 1223 fixed on a shaft journaled in a bracket 12 i and having a sprocket wheel with a chain 125 passing around a sprocket wheel on one of. theconveyor shafts such as will cause the web 79', hanging down in the coating material in the reservoir 1, to carry up some of the material and pass it to the coating conveyor chains 74,-. The bracket 124 is adjustable. up and down, as held by bolts 126 in a vertical slot in the reservoir side; so that the web 79" will pass more or less closely to the chains 74. This example also differs from those before described in having the sprocketeel or driving roller bars the rear ends or the sections, as the bar 66 of the dusting section shown in 3. Where the plate 79 is used, it is preferable to have the sprocketwheel roller bars at the fronts of the sections, to provide the greater diameter there, for the coaction ofthe front, upwardly passing parts of the chains with the plate 79,in the coating and finishing sections. In the modification of Fig. 3 this is not so needful. I

To the rear of the fountain 19 .is the blower nozzle 127; a cylindrical shell across the width of the conveyor, with, a lengthwise slot 128 in its bottom, which slot is widened or narrowed by drawing the adjacent ends of the shell plate farther apart or closer together by small bolts 129 (Fig. 2). The righthand end of this shell is closed, but at the left the shell extends into'a box 130 on the frame side The side 1331 into which the shell extends is adjustable up or down on the box, fitting behind flanges 132 along the upright cornersjand the shell is al bearing at one end or hung on a suspension rod 183 extending up through the top 13 of the machine with a nut 134: above the top. Thus the shell may he set higher or lower to bring its slot far ther from or closer to the confections passing thereunder on the conveyor. Mounted on the top of the machine is the blower 185, driven by the motor 136. This blower operates centrifugally, taking in air through .a pipe 13'? leading from the interior of the machine through the frame side 2 just above the box 130, upward, and over to the center of the casing of the blower 135; and discharging tl e air through the pipe 138 leading from the lower peripheral part of the blower casing, across the top and down into the upper part of the box 130, through the 'l'razue side 2. VV here this pipe 138 leads in, however, it has a damper 139 slidable across it in guides 140 which attach the end of the pipe 138 to the frame side 2. By opening damper 139 more or less, the discharge of air through the nozzle slot 128 is increased ordiminishedg and the cent-rifugally acting" blower 135 permits of this without witn a rheostat for the blower-drivinc; ...otor 136. it will be understood, howf inc coating materials and confections, a 1 s burner 141 is mounted across under the end part of the conveyor, fed by a pipe and another burner 143 is similarly ounted across led by a bra. ch pipe 1&3. Also, just above the back of toe fountain 19, a gas'burner extends across, with its orifices opening -'.,'.o\' .'nward, inside a casing 145; being fed another branch pipe 146. Valves 14-7, and 149 control the gas supply to the l irncrs i l-l, and 14: 1, respectively; and a i'alvc i530 controls the entire gas supply. To retain the heat within the machine, window sashes 151 and 152 are mounted to slide "1 and down in guides near the frame-side at frontand rear, respectively; this well known in the art, the sashes restenough above the conveyor to allow of the confections, and, being transparci, allowing inspection of the interior operation without opening the machine and th disturbimy; the ten'iperature therein. The hopper 153 at the rigid hand side, lead- 1 down intothc reservoir 1, and closed by the slide cover (F 9,) permits inser tion of material into the reservoir without otherwise opening the machine, as also. is linown in the art.

Opcrati0n..For coating confections of sugar oi the like with n serials such as chocolate or icing, the ladder chains of Figs. 1 to .9, inclusive are preferable. For chocolate coating, the stud-and-link chains of Figs. 10

1r maintaining the desired temperature under the drip trough 9i,

and 11 may be used; the advantage of the ladder chain in this instance being only its lightness and consequent inexpensiveness. But for coating with icing, which is of a sticky and sleek nature, resembling white of egg in its behavior, I have found that the heavier, closer chairs are 'less suited than. the lighter, more open chains. This is espe'cially true as to the third or finishing section of the conveyor, where the bottoming of possible from each other without allowing the confections to tilt over, but thus presenting a minimum of supporting surface to the confection bottoms and allording a minimum of chance for the sticky, sleek bottom icing to cling to the conveyor and be pulled from the confections. Such a wide ladder chain also serves satisfactorily for receiving confections coated with the more readily managed materials, such as chocolate; so that a machine so equipped may be used for either kind of material. lVhen changing from one material to the other, or after any use of the machine, when it is to remain out of use for a while, thorough cleaning of the reservoir 1 and all of the parts thereinbelow the conveyor is permitted, by ready removal of the conveyor, lifting it by its handles G l without the use of any tools, as before described. Thus, the machine not only is suitable for working the widely different coating materials, but is very readily cleaned for changing from one material to the other.

For coating such confections as above mentioned, the tray 75 and shield plate 76 are not so much needed; nor is the shield plate 92. These are especially desirableif the machine is used for coating confections of verysensitive substance, such as ice cream,

vair drafts and iermits of nicer re ulation of ten'iperature. 1 find, in coating ice cream on a conveyor, that if the ice cream is permitted any substantial contact with the conveyor parts, it freezes thereto and prevents the coating from running under it; hence the provision, such as the tray 7 5 and plate 76, for insuring an ample flood of coating under the ice cream from the beginning of the coating operation. Also, it will be understood that the chocolate or other coating for a frozen body such as ice cream must notbe too warm; it must be such as to set very quickly without materially melting the frozen body. Hence the provision for nice temperature control at the conveyor, such as the shield plate 76. Under these circumstances, I also find that the heavier, closer chains of Figs. 10 and 11 are more suited for this coating of frozen bodies, such as ice cream; as the ample mass of the conveyor parts is less responsive to varying temperatures in their vicinity, and the closeness is more suited to the need of holding an ample bottoming supply on top the conveyor.

Since the light ladder chain, especially the wide chain of this kind in tl e finishing section, is more suited for icing, but the heavier chain of Figs. 10 and 11 is more suited for coating ice cream or the like, the same conveyor is not interchangeable as between these two uses as it is between the use of icing or chocolate for coating, as before noted. In fact, the ice or am coating is not done by the confectioners using machines for the other confections, a rule; so that this lack of i11terchangeability is not material, usually. However, it will be seen that, owto the easy removal of the conveyor as a role, a single machine may be provided '1 the two kinds of conveyors, either one of which may be inserted, for doing eitherkind of work. If a conveyor is not to be used for coating ice cream or the like, its tray and plates 76 and 92 may be omitted, as before noted; or these may be found of advantage with the other kinds of work.

In any of the instances, the distributing plate 79, or its counterpart, the web 79 of Fig. 3, assists in the operation as fully disclosedand claimed in my before mentioned copending application.

lVith the conveyor chains tightly stretched, either in the original construction as in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, or by the use of adjustable bearings, as in Figs/1O and 11, permitting repeated adjustments if the chains become slack in use,v the upper stretches are practically straight, although the driving tension. comes on the lower stretches, is preferable when the plate 79 is used, as before noted. The arrangement of the driving roller bars, with the sprockets, at the receiving ends of the sections, leaving the roller bars at the leaving ends merely to act as the guides and supports at these ends, presents the relatively large sprocket wheels 67 to the feed belt 8%, where the abrasion of the bottom of the uncoated confection A incident to the slight retarding in the gap is abraded by the belt 34. This effects a slight roughening of the bottom, permitting better adhesion of the coating. This also occurs, due to the above arrangement of the driving roller bars, at the passage from the first or dusting section to the second or coating section, as clearly shown inFig. 11, where the bottom B of the uncoated confection A is ad ditionally roughened by the rubbing of the chains 68 while the confection is tilted down and slightly retarded in the gap caused by the passage of the coating chains 74: around the relatively large sprocket wheels 73. This retarding is of very short duration, as the confection soon is worked over onto the coating chains Tel.

The coating material, brought up by the conveyor buckets 17 from the reservoir 1 and emptied into the trough 18 and from there into the fountain 19, is gradually carried up and over forward by the roll 21 rotating as indicated by the arrow (Figs. 2 and 4:) to contact with the leaf 23, which permits a desired proportion to escape and travel down on the roll 21 to contact with the slide 22, which scrapes off the coating to run in the form of a curtain down from the inclined slide 22 onto the conveyor and onto the confections carried thereby, thus evenly coating the sides'and tops of these confections, to a thickness that is nicely controlled by adjustments of the leaf and slide 22 of the fountain 19.

The surplus coating runs through the chains 74 or 74;, onto the distributing plate 79, there spreading evenly throughout the extent of the plate and running from its edges back into the reservoir 1, from which it is used aganp runs over the front and rear edges of the plate 79, it contacts with the upward passing chains "2 and S9, or is" and S9, and some of the coating thus is carried up on the confettion-receiving sides of these chains. During its distribution over the sur-- J! '3 J i L. a 1 race 01 tne plate 49, tlllS coating has cooled slightly, so that such parts of it as are thus br ught up are of slightly thicker and more clinging consistency than when just discharged from the fountain 19. That brought up by the chains T4; or T 1- thus meets the oncoming uncoated confection A, which is deposited thereon, and in its slightly more tenacious nature, this'ca 'ied-np and reapplied coating clings firmly to the confection bottom and provides a more adequate coating for the bottom than is had by mere dependence upon some of the material But where this coating dropped on the conveyor running under the as in the other example; and the scraper 82 here functions in .the same manner. The plate 7 9 is preferred, however, as being simpler, and affording a wider range of con-- sistency for thebott-om coating thus applied.

During its occupancy of the coating conveyor section, while receiving its" top and side coating as before noted, the confection is practically supported on the coating material that came up from the plate 79 or web 79, and not directly on the convey'r chains. The advantage of this, due to the plate or web, will be apparent in the coating of the frozen bodies, such as ice cream, where, as before noted, substantial contact of the frozen body with the conveyor elements causes trouble by the freezing of the body to the conveyor. These provisions thus coact with the tray and plate 7bv when these are used for such work. Ice cream to be coated usually is in the form of bars traveling lengthwise; so that in pass ing the gap from the first to the second section, or from the feed belt 34 to the first section if fed in that way, they do not tilt down, and do not become abraded, as is not necessary for such frozen substance. Also, of course, the dusting function of the first section is not needed for frozen confections; but this section may be used as the feed belt, instead of the belt For molded centers, moistening by the wick 7O aids in bottoming.

In passing from the coating section to the finishing section, the confection C (Fig. 11) now coated on top, sides and bottom, does not tilt down and become momentarily retarded as at first, because here the coating chains 7 or 74:, going down with their surplus coating material, oppose this material to that being brought up by the finishing section chains 89 or 89 from the rear end part of the plate 79 where it extends under .these chains.

The'result is a tide of the coating material, as at D in Fig. 11, on which the coated confection practically floats across the gap from one section to the other, and takes on some additional bottom coating of slightly cooled and more clinging consistency instead of losing coating in passing the gap without sucha tide therein.

The third orfinishing section, being outside the machine enclosure, less subJeCt to the heat of the main supply of coating material, permits the confection to cool; and at the same time, with its coating carried up from the plate 79, it further conserves or adds to the bottoming. Owing to the coolness, this coating additionally applied to the bottoms will be especially firmly and fully attached; so that when the confection finally passes from this section to the delivery belt 35, the bottom coating is heavy and firm enough not to be squeezed out from under the confection by the'weight of the confeccan be repaired or renewed.

tion itself, andnot to unduly adhere to the belt or to the plaque or other means proto the air, so that the coating receives its final hardening, permitting the confection to be handled freely without injury thereto.

If a Web '79 is used as in Fig. 3, it will be understood that another such web may pl coating to the finishing section someu at as the rear end part of the plate 79 does as above noted.

The above describedfunctions of the finishing section areespecially well exemplified in coating with chocolate or the like, with either kind of chain, especially with the heavier chains of Figs. 10 and 11, and in thus coating either candied or frozen confections. With icings of fugitive consistencies, as before described, using the wide ladder chains, the more important function of the finishing section is to receive the coated confections and carry them until their coatings are suiiiciently hard for delivery to the delivery belt 35, without pulling off the bottom coating, as before noted; although bringing up additional suchcoating, by aid of the plate 7 9, or a web 7 9, is of advantage in providing the flood or tide at the gap as described. -The thin elements of such wide ladder chains of course are not so adapted for this bringing up as the closer ladder chains or stud-and-link chains, should these be used in the finishing section, as is preferable for the more readily managed coatings, such as chocolate.

The finishing function of the last section is present with a coating that is softened by heating and hardened by cooling, as just described, but is practically realized with anyother coating, as for instance a solution or paste tnat hardens merely by exposure to air, which, in fact, islargely true of icings of sugar or the like; since the third or finishing section fully exposes the confection to this'hardening influence, whether it be cooling, drying, or chemical action.

By having the respective conveyor sections made up of a plurality of parallel endless chains, it is feasible to have these chains strong and durable and presenting a practically level conveying surface, whereas a web continuous from side to side as well as lengthwise, must be of comparatively light material, such as thin wire, found in practice to warp and twist so that the conveyor is not level or uniform and does not permit of accurate regulation of the coatins; operations hereinbefore described, and is so weak as to soon wear out, and breaks frequently, necessitating stoppage of the entire coating system until it To make such a continuous web of sufficiently heavy material, such as the chains of my. invention are n ode of, is to impose unequal strains chain, of either rind, o; utabl chai which might be used, is es applicable to the combinatiorl in \vhiible to have the upper stre" 4 pass from their driving idler roller bars allows it to be out breakage, so i practically straight a tension stretch. Such w it, thus perniitted, therefore 1 idvantages set forth. herein; but such chains may be used in various other reiatioi and other constructions may be Gli'lPlOj id for the sectionzil ha" be n al ui herein.

The location of the shield-plate under the blower outlet 1% results in the blower discharge raising waves in the coating ilOW- iug over the conveyor and carried along therewith; these eyes being due the opposition ot the plate 76 to the air currents from the blower. The confection centers lloat on these Waves, which also roll up over the sides and tops ot the centers. The blower blows oil" the surplus coating from the sides and tops, but not from the bottoms; so that this Wave production and consequent floating results in very heavy bottom coating, due to the coaction 011 the plate 76 and the b \ver. l his 13 especially valuable in coating {rigid -mater as heiiore mentioned, Where all "ails oi the coating 7 l i 1 u', n must be suostaiuiaily much, and me can ciency oi? the bottoiii-coating arrangement therc'i'cre is especially important.

The brush 8"!" against the upper stretches of chains in the third or finishing section also are especially o'l advantage in connection with coating l rigid articles, such as ice-cream bars. 'ihesc articles chill the linishing section chains, and these chains in turn chill the surplus coating remaining thereon from drainage of the confections, so that this surplus coating does not run oil readily into the trough 91. The brush 87 brushes ol'l' this partly congealed coating; and it preferably is located at the end of the chi id plate that coating dropping from the brush does not collect on the plate 76, but falls directly into the trough 91. Also, heated air currents, caused by the burner 1&8, pass up from under the plate 76 around the brush, tending to keep the coating thawed therefrom.

The step-downarrangement of the sections in Fig. 8 is of advantage, especially Where bottoming material is brought up, either With use of a plate 79 or a Web 79, in setting the confections down more directly, rather than sliding them onto the receiving coating material as where the chains are all in the same plane. it will be understood that this arrangen'ient may be used for any of the kinds of confections or coatings, and may employ such kinds of cl '11s as may be desirable under the circumstances, as described for the other examples; in fact, any of the other conveyors may be made adjustable, to

c ectthis arrangement, as previously alluded to.

Other modili utions of any of the various parts of the machine described and shown specifically herein may occur in practice; or parts may be omitted, or otherwise combined, or altered, within desirable limits under varying circumstances.

l'hereliorc, While certain constructional details are deemed preferable in connection with my invention, and l have shown and described these rather specifically in elucidating the construction and use 01 my inven tion, as is required, I do not Wish to be understood as being limited to such precise sh s"- ing and description, but having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new n cans near one end of said plate, against said distinct section, to remove surplus coating material tending to harden thereon, and softening means near said distinct section, within the extent of said plate, to modify the hardening action on the coating of the conicctions and on the coating material engaged by Said removing means.

2. In a machine of the character described, a coating conveyor section and means for softening the coating material adjacent to this section, a distinct conveyor section re moved from the direct influence oi said sot toning mcans, receiving the confections from the coating section for hardening of the coating material thereon and comprising a series of relatively long and narrow transverse 3318, and means to supply additional material to the confections on this distinct section. 3. In a machine of the character described, a coating conveyor section and means for softening the coating material adjacent to this section, and a distinct conveyor section removed from the direct influence of said softening means, receiving the confections from the coating section for hardening the coating material thereon, said distinct section comprising aseries of relatively long and narrow transverse bars.

4;. In a machine of the character described, a container for coating material, an agitator in said container, a conveyor running over said container from end to end thereof, an

elevator operatively connected to said agitator in said container and extending up past one side of said conveyor, and driving means for said conveyor at the opposite side of said conveyor, operatively connected to said elevator across the top of said conveyor.

5. In a machine of the character described, a container for coating material and mechanism therein for acting on said material, a

' feeding conveyor running toward one end of said container, a delivering conveyor running from the opposite end of said container, operating mechanisms extending above said container near opposite sides thereof, and an intermediate conveyor running from said feeding conveyor to said delivering conveyor over said container, between said mechanisms, said intermediate conveyor being mounted for removal endwise of said container and upward over one of the other conveyors.

6. In a machine of the character described, a container for coating material and mechanism therein for acting on said material, a feeding conveyor running toward one end of said container, a delivering conveyor run ning from the opposite end of said container, elevating mechanism extending up out of said container near one side thereof, conveyor driving mechanism extending above said container near the opposite side thereof, and an intermediate conveyor running from said feeding conveyor to said delivering conveyor over said container, between said mechanisms, said intermediate conveyor being detachably operatively connected to said conveyor driving mechanism and being mounted for removal endwise of said container and upward over one of the other conveyors. g y

7. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor, means for driving said conveyor, respective means operatively connected to said driving means for driving feed and delivery means for said conveyor, and distinct controlling means, respectively, for the conveyor driving means and for the operative connection of said feed and delivery driving means, located together on one side of said machine.

8. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor, a frame for said conveyor in which said conveyor runs along said frame, a mounting for said frame whereby said conveyor may be moved, driving means in said machine comprising a worm, and driving means for said conveyor, on said frame, comprising a worm -wheel to mesh with said worm when said conveyor is in operative position on its mounting, or to unmesh from said worm to permit the conveyor to be moved.

9. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor comprising a plurality of longitudinally succeeding sections, a frame operatively supporting said sections and comprising longitudinal sidebars, a sprocket connection from one of .said sections to another inside said frame bars, and a sprocket connection from one of said sections to another outside said frame bars. 1

10. In a machine of the character described, a coating conveyor section, means to supply coating to this section, a conveyor section to supply confections to'said coating conveyor section, and means to supply moisture to said supplying section to facilitate the adhesion of coating material to the bottoms of said confections. J

JOHN MASSARELLA. 

